Open Campus: The debate over the use of Howard's campus by neighbors

[Anonymous]

There is a current debate about the use of Howard's campus by the community. I really do see both sides of the debate. If it is such a historic landmark, then the community should be able to access it but I agree that dog poop on the grass is a too much.

https://dcist.com/story/19/04/17/new-neighbors-keep-walking-their-dogs-on-howards-campus-students-say-its-disrespectful/?fbclid=IwAR1bdDMW4XzkpJQ_jGaf-yGyb6C73kBHVxJpHHA1xgt7Z7AlIj_OsqN2zrw

[Anonymous]

I get what the Howard kids are saying. It's disrespectful for a dog to sh#t or piss on a lawn where student congregate each day. Further, you have to go out of your way to bring your dog on Howard's Yard. There's zero housing immediately adjacent to the Yard.

That said, I think the students need to worry about other, bigger issues in the world. Let HU administration crack down on the dog walkers by enforcing a no dogs on campus rule. The only public property on Howard are the sidewalks immediately adjacent to public roads.

[Anonymous]

This guy thinks the campus should be relocated--what a jerk:

https://www.essence.com/news/howard-univeristy-dog-walking-gentrifiers/?fbclid=IwAR3OGjGJ96ZBv1MbgAvphvL2F0MGIKdPNA3pPhZxa_n9pnIR4RSP4wshLgM

[Anonymous]

It's INCREDIBLY rule to let your dog pee or poop on grass that is intended to be used for human recreation, especially a campus quad. I went to an urban private college and law school with lovely quads, and I would have been completely appalled if somebody had used the quad as a dog park. It's just NOT ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get what the Howard kids are saying. It's disrespectful for a dog to sh#t or piss on a lawn where student congregate each day. Further, you have to go out of your way to bring your dog on Howard's Yard. There's zero housing immediately adjacent to the Yard.

That said, I think the students need to worry about other, bigger issues in the world. Let HU administration crack down on the dog walkers by enforcing a no dogs on campus rule. The only public property on Howard are the sidewalks immediately adjacent to public roads.

Are you f-ing kidding? The students are perfectly reasonable. It is a private university and the carpetbagger neighbors should not be treating it as a dog park/free space without regard for it's main purpose. If black neighbors were hanging around a predominantly white university, I bet people would be supportive of the students' feelings.

BTW, the bearded neighbor has some very NSFW pictures on his twitter. He seems like a douche all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a current debate about the use of Howard's campus by the community. I really do see both sides of the debate. If it is such a historic landmark, then the community should be able to access it but I agree that dog poop on the grass is a too much.

https://dcist.com/story/19/04/17/new-neighbors-keep-walking-their-dogs-on-howards-campus-students-say-its-disrespectful/?fbclid=IwAR1bdDMW4XzkpJQ_jGaf-yGyb6C73kBHVxJpHHA1xgt7Z7AlIj_OsqN2zrw

It's a college, not a historic landmark or a park. People can use it if they are respectful - but they're not being respectful, apparently. I used to live there and jog through in the early mornings (I am white) -- it was pretty easy to get the sense that it was not a park for the public to hang out in. I'm glad I was able to jog through it because it allowed me to see what an HBCU looked like, but if people are using it like a park, then I understand if it needs to be closed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get what the Howard kids are saying. It's disrespectful for a dog to sh#t or piss on a lawn where student congregate each day. Further, you have to go out of your way to bring your dog on Howard's Yard. There's zero housing immediately adjacent to the Yard.

That said, I think the students need to worry about other, bigger issues in the world. Let HU administration crack down on the dog walkers by enforcing a no dogs on campus rule. The only public property on Howard are the sidewalks immediately adjacent to public roads.

Are you f-ing kidding? The students are perfectly reasonable. It is a private university and the carpetbagger neighbors should not be treating it as a dog park/free space without regard for it's main purpose. If black neighbors were hanging around a predominantly white university, I bet people would be supportive of the students' feelings.

BTW, the bearded neighbor has some very NSFW pictures on his twitter. He seems like a douche all around.

The HU students are not doing themselves any favors in the media - "talk soft softly but carry a big stick" is a much more effective approach. Hence why I said they should let HU administration deal with it. I am 100% in support of Howard banning dogs and agree that it's disrespectful to use the campus as a dog park. That's a no-brainer.

But the the HU students are not handling this in a savvy manner. There's more effective ways to get your point across.

[Anonymous]

Huh. I went to Columbia in NYC and we had people streaming in all the time, tourists, residents, kids and yes, dogs. I don't think there was ever an issue with it.

[Anonymous]

Its private property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Its private property.

Then they need to post it as such to keep out the riff raff neighbors.

[Anonymous]

That is one of the most absurd things I have heard of people bitching about. Talk about creating a problem.

1- it's an open campus
2- people walk their dogs literally everywhere in the world
3- the school itself said it's not against the rules, you just want to complain
4- "not have a bunch of townies getting in their way all the time" .... it's washington DC, not some tiny redneck town in Iowa. Jesus Christ. Then the next sentence "pins some of the blame on the more transient nature of the neighborhood, as more renters move in and longtime homeowners are displaced. “They don’t have the same sense of investment in the community,” he says. " exactly. NOT townies. That's not what DC is, Jesus.
5- DC is 47% black. But sure... "Students also said that they see Howard as a sacred, safe space for them in a city where they often feel marginalized"


I'm with this person: Nice that teenagers who’ve lived in DC all of a year and a half are telling decades long residents what quasi-public spaces they’re allowed in. Is it really gentrification that’s ruining Howard, or are they doing it to themselves?” wrote one commenter.

That whole thing is entitled bratty bullshit.

[Anonymous]

^^ Some of your points are well taken. But the neighbor who told the news that the campus should be moved, is clueless and antagonistic.

Here's a link with the video.

https://www.theroot.com/move-the-campus-gentrifyinggeorge-says-students-shoul-1834172297

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ Some of your points are well taken. But the neighbor who told the news that the campus should be moved, is clueless and antagonistic.

Here's a link with the video.

https://www.theroot.com/move-the-campus-gentrifyinggeorge-says-students-shoul-1834172297

Yes, there is definitely a racial/gentrification component here--some of the students feel like they're being "Columbused" and that the gentrifiers are being disrespectful to Howard's legacy. This is in the context of recent discussions about the rapid pace of gentrification here, #dontmuteDC, etc. Also I'm sure some of the gentrifiers aren't helping the situation either, like the clueless guy that suggested moving the campus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh. I went to Columbia in NYC and we had people streaming in all the time, tourists, residents, kids and yes, dogs. I don't think there was ever an issue with it.

Those are schools with very different cultures and very different histories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Huh. I went to Columbia in NYC and we had people streaming in all the time, tourists, residents, kids and yes, dogs. I don't think there was ever an issue with it.

Those are schools with very different cultures and very different histories.

+1. Also, does Columbia have a quad? I've only been to the medical campus, but it seems more urban feeling than Howard.